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Ruff CB, Wallace IJ, Toya C, Muñoz MAP, Meyer JV, Busby T, Reynolds AZ, Martinez J, Miller-Moore M, Rios R. The effects of the industrial transition on lower limb bone structure: A comparison of the inhabitants of Pecos Pueblo and present-day Indigenous peoples of New Mexico. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2024; 184:e24922. [PMID: 38409941 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Revised: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Comparisons between Indigenous peoples over time and within a particular geographic region can shed light on the impact of environmental transitions on the skeleton, including relative bone strength, sexual dimorphism, and age-related changes. Here we compare long bone structural properties of the inhabitants of the late prehistoric-early historic Pecos Pueblo with those of present-day Indigenous individuals from New Mexico. MATERIALS AND METHODS Femora and tibiae of 126 adults from Pecos Pueblo and 226 present-day adults were included in the study. Cross-sectional diaphyseal properties-areas and second moments of area-were obtained from past studies of the Pecos Pueblo skeletal sample, and from computed tomography scans of recently deceased individuals in the present-day sample. RESULTS Femora and tibiae from Pecos individuals are stronger relative to body size than those of present-day Indigenous individuals. Present-day individuals are taller but not wider, and this body shape difference affects cross-sectional shape, more strongly proximally. The tibia shows anteroposterior strengthening among Pecos individuals, especially among males. Sexual dimorphism in midshaft bone shape is stronger within the Pecos Pueblo sample. With aging, Pecos individuals show more medullary expansion but also more subperiosteal expansion than present-day individuals, maintaining bone strength despite cortical thinning. DISCUSSION Higher activity levels, carried out over rough terrain and throughout adult life, likely explain the relatively stronger lower limb bones of the Pecos individuals, as well as their greater subperiosteal expansion with aging. Greater sexual dimorphism in bone structure among Pecos individuals potentially reflects greater gender-based differences in behavioral patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher B Ruff
- Center for Functional Anatomy and Evolution, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Ian J Wallace
- Department of Anthropology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | | | | | - Jana Valesca Meyer
- Department of Anthropology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Taylor Busby
- Department of Anthropology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Adam Z Reynolds
- Department of Anthropology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Jordan Martinez
- Department of Anthropology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Marcus Miller-Moore
- Department of Anthropology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Roberto Rios
- Department of Anthropology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
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2
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Horbaly H, Hubbe M. Systemic versus local patterns of limb joint articular morphology inferred from relative distances from morphological centroid. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2024. [PMID: 38817037 DOI: 10.1002/ar.25506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2024] [Revised: 05/02/2024] [Accepted: 05/04/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024]
Abstract
Joint morphogenesis is a complex process known to require the interaction of developmental cascades and mechanical loading, yet many details of this interaction are incompletely understood. While prior work has established populational patterns of joint morphological (co)variance, exploring how these patterns manifest within the individual provides information on the deployment of morphogenic processes as either systemic or local influences on joint shape. To better identify the patterns of variance-generating morphogenic processes, this study investigates the degree to which individual joint shapes deviate from population averages systematically across the body. Using three-dimensional landmark data from 200 adult skeletons, we ranked individuals based on their distances from morphological centroids for eight major joints. Spearman correlations assessed associations between ranks across various articular pairings, testing hypotheses regarding systemic versus localized variance. Results reveal low coordination between deviations observed in conarticular surfaces, functional analogs, and same-bone surfaces; however strong associations exist between antimeres, suggesting the left-right deployment of variance-generating morphogenic patterns is highly consistent. These results support a model of localized rather than systemic processes driving variation in joint shape. While more remains to be elucidated about the specifics of articular surface morphogenesis, these findings advance our understanding of the systems of variance generation at play during development and growth of our definitive joint morphology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haley Horbaly
- Department of Health and Human Performance, Congdon School of Health Sciences, High Point University, High Point, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Physician Assistant Studies, Congdon School of Health Sciences, High Point University, High Point, North Carolina, USA
| | - Mark Hubbe
- Department of Anthropology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
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3
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Berthaume M, Elton S. Biomechanics in anthropology. Evol Anthropol 2024; 33:e22019. [PMID: 38217465 DOI: 10.1002/evan.22019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2023] [Revised: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2024]
Abstract
Biomechanics is the set of tools that explain organismal movement and mechanical behavior and links the organism to the physicality of the world. As such, biomechanics can relate behaviors and culture to the physicality of the organism. Scale is critical to biomechanical analyses, as the constitutive equations that matter differ depending on the scale of the question. Within anthropology, biomechanics has had a wide range of applications, from understanding how we and other primates evolved to understanding the effects of technologies, such as the atlatl, and the relationship between identity, society, culture, and medical interventions, such as prosthetics. Like any other model, there is great utility in biomechanical models, but models should be used primarily for hypothesis testing and not data generation except in the rare case where models can be robustly validated. The application of biomechanics within anthropology has been extensive, and holds great potential for the future.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sarah Elton
- Department of Anthropology, Durham University, Durham, UK
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4
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Horbaly H, Hubbe M, Sylvester AD, Steadman DW, Auerbach BM. Variation in human limb joint articular morphology. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2023; 182:388-400. [PMID: 37702986 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2022] [Revised: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/14/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Synovial joints in human limbs strike a balance between mobility, stability, and articular fit, yet little is known about how these conflicting demands pattern intraspecific variation in articular shape. In this study, we use geometric morphometrics to establish the apportionment and magnitude of morphological variance of the articular surfaces of the human shoulder, elbow, hip, and knee. We hypothesize that variances will be comparable between articulating surfaces within a joint and will be larger in joints with smaller ranges of motion, given their plurality of functional demands. MATERIALS AND METHODS Three-dimensional landmarks were taken on the articular surfaces of the glenohumeral, humeroulnar, acetabulofemoral, and tibiofemoral joints from CT scans of 200 skeletons from the University of Tennessee Donated Skeletal Collection (84 females, 116 males). Root mean-squared distances between articulations calculated from Procrustes shape coordinates were used to determine variance distributions. RESULTS We found no difference in variances for each articular surface between the sexes or between left and right articular surfaces. A high range of motion is associated with greater morphological variance; however, this pattern is largely driven by the concave articular surfaces of each joint, which consistently exhibit statistically greater variance than their convex counterparts. DISCUSSION The striking pattern of differential variance between articulating morphologies points to potential disparities in development between them. Consistently higher variance in concave surfaces may relate to chondral modeling theory for the formation of joints. Establishing intraspecific morphological variance patterns is a first step in understanding coordinated evolution among articular features.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haley Horbaly
- Department of Health and Human Performance, Congdon School of Health Sciences, High Point University, High Point, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Physician Assistant Studies, Congdon School of Health Sciences, High Point University, High Point, North Carolina, USA
| | - Mark Hubbe
- Department of Anthropology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Adam D Sylvester
- Center for Functional Anatomy and Evolution, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | | | - Benjamin M Auerbach
- Department of Anthropology, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
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5
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Yim AD, Cowgill L, Katz DC, Roseman CC. Variation in ontogenetic trajectories of limb dimensions in humans is attributable to both climatic effects and neutral evolution. J Hum Evol 2023; 179:103369. [PMID: 37104893 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2023.103369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Revised: 03/26/2023] [Accepted: 03/26/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023]
Abstract
Previous studies showed that there is variation in ontogenetic trajectories of human limb dimensions and proportions. However, little is known about the evolutionary significance of this variation. This study used a global sample of modern human immature long bone measurements and a multivariate linear mixed-effects model to study 1) whether the variation in ontogenetic trajectories of limb dimensions is consistent with ecogeographic predictions and 2) the effects of different evolutionary forces on the variation in ontogenetic trajectories. We found that genetic relatedness arising from neutral (nonselective) evolution, allometric variation associated with the change in size, and directional effects from climate all contributed to the variation in ontogenetic trajectories of all major long bone dimensions in modern humans. After accounting for the effects of neutral evolution and holding other effects considered in the current study constant, extreme temperatures have weak, positive associations with diaphyseal length and breadth measurements, while mean temperature shows negative associations with diaphyseal dimensions. The association with extreme temperatures fits the expectations of ecogeographic rules, while the association with mean temperature may explain the observed among-group variation in intralimb indices. The association with climate is present throughout ontogeny, suggesting an explanation of adaptation by natural selection as the most likely cause. On the other hand, genetic relatedness among groups, as structured by neutral evolutionary factors, is an important consideration when interpreting skeletal morphology, even for nonadult individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- An-Di Yim
- Department of Health and Exercise Sciences, Truman State University, 100 E Normal Ave, Kirksville, MO, USA; Department of Biology, Truman State University, 100 E Normal Ave, Kirksville, MO, USA; Department of Anthropology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 109 Davenport Hall, 607 S Mathews Ave, Urbana, IL, USA.
| | - Libby Cowgill
- Department of Anthropology, University of Missouri, 112 Swallow Hall, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - David C Katz
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, Canada
| | - Charles C Roseman
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Behavior, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 515 Morrill Hall, 505 S Goodwin Ave, Urbana, IL, USA
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Berthaume MA, Kramer PA. Anthroengineering: an independent interdisciplinary field. Interface Focus 2021; 11:20200056. [PMID: 34938428 PMCID: PMC8361575 DOI: 10.1098/rsfs.2020.0056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent decades, funding agencies, institutes and professional bodies have recognized the profound benefits of transdisciplinarity in tackling targeted research questions. However, once questions are answered, the previously abundant support often dissolves. As such, the long-term benefits of these transdisciplinary approaches are never fully achieved. Over the last several decades, the integration of anthropology and engineering through inter- and multidisciplinary work has led to advances in fields such as design, human evolution and medical technologies. The lack of formal recognition, however, of this transdisciplinary approach as a unique entity rather than a useful tool or a subfield makes it difficult for researchers to establish laboratories, secure permanent jobs, fund long-term research programmes and train students in this approach. To facilitate the growth and development and witness the long-term benefits of this approach, we propose the integration of anthropology and engineering be recognized as a new, independent field known as anthroengineering. We present a working definition for anthroengineering and examples of how anthroengineering has been used. We discuss the necessity of recognizing anthroengineering as a unique field and explore potential novel applications. Finally, we discuss the future of anthroengineering, highlighting avenues for moving the field forward.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael A Berthaume
- Division of Mechanical Engineering and Design, London South Bank University, London SE1 0AA, UK
| | - Patricia Ann Kramer
- Department of Anthropology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195-3100, USA.,Department of Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195-3100, USA
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7
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Jiménez-Brobeil SA, Charisi D, Laffranchi Z, Maroto Benavides RM, Delgado Huertas A, Milella M. Sex differences in diet and life conditions in a rural Medieval Islamic population from Spain (La Torrecilla, Granada): An isotopic and osteological approach to gender differentiation in al-Andalus. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2021; 175:794-815. [PMID: 33772756 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2020] [Revised: 02/02/2021] [Accepted: 03/05/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Gender differentiation can influence the diet, physical activity, and health of human populations. Multifaceted approaches are therefore necessary when exploring the biological consequences of gender-related social norms in the past. Here, we explore the links between diet, physiological stress, physical activity, and gender differentiation in the Medieval Islamic population of La Torrecilla (Granada, Spain, 13th-15th century AD), by analyzing stable isotope patterns, stature, and long bone diaphyseal measurements. MATERIALS AND METHODS The sample includes 96 individuals (48 females, 48 males) classified as young and middle adults (20-34 and 35-50 years of age respectively). Diet was reconstructed through the analysis of δ13 C and δ15 N. Stature, humeral and femoral diaphyseal shape and product of diaphyseal diameters served as proxies of physiological stress and physical activity. RESULTS Isotopic ratios suggest a substantial dietary contribution of C4 plants (e.g., sorghum, millet), a variable access to animal proteins, and no differences between the sexes. Sexual dimorphism in stature derives from a markedly low female stature. Long bone diaphyseal properties suggest that men performed various physically stressful activities, whereas women were involved in less physically demanding activities (possibly related to household work). DISCUSSION Gender differentiation in La Torrecilla was expressed by a possibly differential parental investment in male versus female offspring and by culturally sanctioned gender differences in the performance of physical tasks. Diet was qualitatively homogenous between the sexes, although we cannot rule out quantitative differences. Our results shed new light on the effects of gender-related social norms on human development and lifestyle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sylvia A Jiménez-Brobeil
- Department of Legal Medicine, Toxicology and Physical Anthropology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Drosia Charisi
- Department of Legal Medicine, Toxicology and Physical Anthropology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Zita Laffranchi
- Department of Legal Medicine, Toxicology and Physical Anthropology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Granada, Granada, Spain.,Department of Physical Anthropology, Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Rosa M Maroto Benavides
- Department of Legal Medicine, Toxicology and Physical Anthropology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Antonio Delgado Huertas
- Biogeochemistry of Stable Isotopes Laboratory, Andalusian Institute of Earth Sciences, (IACT-CSIC-UGR), Granada, Spain
| | - Marco Milella
- Department of Physical Anthropology, Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
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8
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Laffranchi Z, Charisi D, Jiménez-Brobeil SA, Milella M. Gendered division of labor in a Celtic community? A comparison of sex differences in entheseal changes and long bone shape and robusticity in the pre-Roman population of Verona (Italy, third-first century BC). AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2020; 173:568-588. [PMID: 32812226 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2019] [Revised: 06/01/2020] [Accepted: 06/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The presence of a gendered subdivision of labor has been bioarchaeologically investigated in various prehistoric and historical contexts. Little is known, however, about the type of differences in daily activities characterizing men and women among the Celtic communities of Italy. The focus of the present study is the analysis of differences in patterns of entheseal changes (ECs) and long bone shape and robusticity between sexes among the Cenomani Gauls of Seminario Vescovile (SV-Verona, Italy, third-first century BC). MATERIALS AND METHODS The sample includes 56 adult individuals (22 females and 34 males). Presence of ECs on nine bilateral postcranial attachment sites, and values of humeral and femoral shape and robusticity indices based on external measurements were compared between sexes by means of generalized linear models and Mann-Whitney tests. RESULTS Results show a lack of difference between sexes in long bone shape and robusticity, and a higher incidence of upper and, especially, lower limb ECs in males. DISCUSSION These results suggest the presence of sex-specific activities at SV mostly related to farming and differently influencing the considered variables. Also, this study suggests the relevance of a series of nonbiomechanical factors (developmental, hormonal, genetic, and methodological) when attempting biocultural reconstructions from osteoarchaeological samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zita Laffranchi
- Department of Physical Anthropology, Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.,Department of Legal Medicine, Toxicology and Physical Anthropology, Medicine Faculty, University of Granada (UGR), Granada, Spain
| | - Drosia Charisi
- Department of Legal Medicine, Toxicology and Physical Anthropology, Medicine Faculty, University of Granada (UGR), Granada, Spain
| | - Sylvia A Jiménez-Brobeil
- Department of Legal Medicine, Toxicology and Physical Anthropology, Medicine Faculty, University of Granada (UGR), Granada, Spain
| | - Marco Milella
- Department of Physical Anthropology, Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
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9
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Xing S, Wu XJ, Liu W, Pei SW, Cai YJ, Tong HW, Trinkaus E. Middle Pleistocene human femoral diaphyses from Hualongdong, Anhui Province, China. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2020; 174:285-298. [PMID: 32780474 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2020] [Revised: 06/29/2020] [Accepted: 07/08/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The paleontological description and comparative analysis using discrete morphology, morphometrics (linear and geometric) and cross-sectional geometry of three femoral diaphyseal sections from the Middle Pleistocene site of Hualongdong, China. MATERIALS AND METHODS The material consists of the original Hualongdong femoral fossils and available data on femoral diaphyses from Middle and Late Pleistocene archaic humans and Middle and earlier Upper Paleolithic modern humans. The methods include visual observation, diaphyseal diameters, cross-sectional parameters (transverse areas and second moments of area derived from micro-CT scans), and geometric morphometrics using semilandmark data. RESULTS The Hualong 11 midshaft section is similar to other Middle and Late Pleistocene archaic humans in being transversely broad and lacking a pilaster despite a prominent linea aspera. It clusters principally with archaic human femora in all measured parameters. The Hualong 15 and 16 subtrochanteric pieces are similar to many Middle Pleistocene and early modern human femora in being transversely broad. In particular, Hualong 15 exhibits a prominent lateral (gluteal) buttress, similar to many Upper Paleolithic femora but also the Lazaret and Krapina archaic ones. In addition, Hualong 15 has a small third trochanter, a common Upper Paleolithic but rare earlier feature. DISCUSSION The Hualong 11 femoral piece reinforces the general Middle Pleistocene pattern, especially for eastern Eurasia from which archaic human femora are rare. The subtrochanteric proportions of Hualong 15 and 16 reinforce the Early Pleistocene and (generally) Middle Pleistocene pattern of bone distributions, but their subperiosteal contours align them (along with those of the Lazaret and Krapina femora) with Upper Paleolithic ones. It is difficult to account for these proportions from the generally broad pelves of Pleistocene archaic humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Song Xing
- Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Chinese Academy of Sciences Center for Excellence in Life and Paleoenvironment, Beijing, China
| | - Xiu-Jie Wu
- Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Chinese Academy of Sciences Center for Excellence in Life and Paleoenvironment, Beijing, China
| | - Wu Liu
- Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Chinese Academy of Sciences Center for Excellence in Life and Paleoenvironment, Beijing, China
| | - Shu-Wen Pei
- Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Chinese Academy of Sciences Center for Excellence in Life and Paleoenvironment, Beijing, China
| | - Yan-Jun Cai
- Institute of Global Environmental Change, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China.,State Key Laboratory of Loess and Quaternary Geology, Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an, China.,Chinese Academy of Sciences Center for Excellence in Quaternary Science and Global Change, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an, China
| | - Hao-Wen Tong
- Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Chinese Academy of Sciences Center for Excellence in Life and Paleoenvironment, Beijing, China
| | - Erik Trinkaus
- Department of Anthropology, Washington University, Saint Louis, Missouri, USA
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10
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Varalli A, Villotte S, Dori I, Sparacello V. New Insights into Activity-Related Functional Bone Adaptations and Alterations in Neolithic Liguria (Northwestern Italy). ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020. [DOI: 10.3166/bmsap-2020-0072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
This study offers a combined analysis of longbone mechanical properties (cross-sectional geometry, CSG), upper-limb enthesopathies (entheseal changes, ECs), and external auditory exostoses (EAEs) among Neolithic people from Liguria (Italy). Previous CSG studies have suggested a high degree of mobility in mountainous terrain and sexual dimorphism in the upper limbs, with males being more oriented toward unimanual activities and females performing strenuous bimanual tasks. The aims of the study were to: 1) increase the sample size of the CSG analysis via the acquisition of surface 3D models, 2) provide a solid chronological framework through direct dating in order to allow for subsampling of individuals dated to the Impresso-Cardial Complex (ICC, c. 5800–5000 BCE) and the Square-Mouthed Pottery culture (c. 5000–4300 BCE), 3) integrate the results of CSG analysis with information on ECs of the humeral epicondyles, and 4) assess possible marine activities through analysis of EAEs. Results from the CSG analysis confirmed those of previous studies, with no significant diachronic change. ECs in the humeral medial epicondyle parallelled CSG adaptations: males tended to display more changes, especially unilaterally. Only one individual from the ICC period showed bilateral EAE, suggesting that marine activities were not prevalent. This study adds to our knowledge on activity patterns in the Neolithic in Liguria, and shows that integrating structural adaptations with information from specific entheseal alterations and exostoses can improve reconstructions of past habitual activities.
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11
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Osipov B, Alaica AK, Pickard C, Garcia‐Donas JG, Márquez‐Grant N, Kranioti EF. The effect of diet and sociopolitical change on physiological stress and behavior in late
Roman‐Early
Byzantine (300–700
AD
) and Islamic (902–1,235
AD
) populations from Ibiza, Spain. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2020; 172:189-213. [DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2019] [Revised: 02/24/2020] [Accepted: 04/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Osipov
- Lawrence J. Ellison Musculoskeletal Research Center, Department of Orthopaedic SurgeryUniversity of California Davis Medical Center Sacramento California USA
| | - Aleksa K Alaica
- Department of AnthropologyUniversity of Toronto Toronto Ontario Canada
- School of History, Classics and ArchaeologyUniversity of Edinburgh Edinburgh UK
| | - Catriona Pickard
- School of History, Classics and ArchaeologyUniversity of Edinburgh Edinburgh UK
| | - Julieta G Garcia‐Donas
- School of Science and Engineering, Center for Anatomy and Human IdentificationUniversity of Dundee Dundee UK
| | - Nicholas Márquez‐Grant
- Cranfield Forensic InstituteCranfield University, Defence Academy of the United Kingdom UK
| | - Elena F. Kranioti
- School of History, Classics and ArchaeologyUniversity of Edinburgh Edinburgh UK
- Department of Forensic Sciences, Faculty of MedicineUniversity of Crete Crete Greece
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12
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von Cramon-Taubadel N. Multivariate morphometrics, quantitative genetics, and neutral theory: Developing a "modern synthesis" for primate evolutionary morphology. Evol Anthropol 2019; 28:21-33. [PMID: 30652384 DOI: 10.1002/evan.21761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2018] [Revised: 08/17/2018] [Accepted: 11/29/2018] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Anthropologists are increasingly turning to explicit model-bound evolutionary approaches for understanding the morphological diversification of humans and other primate lineages. Such evolutionary morphological analyses rely on three interconnected conceptual frameworks; multivariate morphometrics for quantifying similarity and differences among taxa, quantitative genetics for modeling the inheritance and evolution of morphology, and neutral theory for assessing the likelihood that taxon diversification is due to stochastic processes such as genetic drift. Importantly, neutral theory provides a framework for testing more parsimonious explanations for observed morphological differences before considering more complex adaptive scenarios. However, the consistency with which these concepts are applied varies considerably, which mirrors some of the theoretical obstacles faced during the "modern synthesis" of classical population genetics in the early 20th century. Here, each framework is reviewed and some potential stumbling blocks to the full conceptual integration of multivariate morphometrics, quantitative genetics, and neutral theory are considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noreen von Cramon-Taubadel
- Department of Anthropology, Buffalo Human Evolutionary Morphology Lab, University at Buffalo, SUNY, Buffalo, New York
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13
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Young JW, Jankord K, Saunders MM, Smith TD. Getting into Shape: Limb Bone Strength in Perinatal Lemur catta and Propithecus coquereli. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2018; 303:250-264. [PMID: 30548126 DOI: 10.1002/ar.24045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2017] [Revised: 05/03/2018] [Accepted: 05/14/2018] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Functional studies of skeletal anatomy are predicated on the fundamental assumption that form will follow function. For instance, previous studies have shown that the femora of specialized leaping primates are more robust than those of more generalized primate quadrupeds. Are such differences solely a plastic response to differential loading patterns during postnatal life, or might they also reflect more canalized developmental mechanisms present at birth? Here, we show that perinatal Lemur catta, an arboreal/terrestrial quadruped, have less robust femora than perinatal Propithecus coquereli, a closely related species specialized for vertical clinging and leaping (a highly unusual locomotor mode in which the hindlimbs are used to launch the animal between vertical tree trunks). These results suggest that functional differences in long bone cross-sectional dimensions are manifest at birth, belying simple interpretations of adult postcranial form as a direct record of loading patterns during postnatal life. Despite these significant differences in bone robusticity, we find that hindlimb bone mineralization, material properties, and measures of whole-bone strength generally overlap in perinatal L. catta and P. coquereli, indicating little differentiation in postcranial maturity at birth despite known differences in the pace of craniodental development between the species. In a broader perspective, our results likely reflect evolution acting during prenatal ontogeny. Even though primates are notable for relatively prolonged gestation and postnatal parental care, neonates are not buffered from selection, perhaps especially in the unpredictable and volatile environment of Madagascar. Anat Rec, 2018. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Anat Rec, 303:250-264, 2020. © 2018 American Association for Anatomy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesse W Young
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED), Rootstown, Ohio, 44272
| | - Kathryn Jankord
- School of Physical Therapy, Slippery Rock University, Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania, 16057
| | - Marnie M Saunders
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Akron, Akron, Ohio, 44325
| | - Timothy D Smith
- School of Physical Therapy, Slippery Rock University, Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania, 16057.,Department of Anthropology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15213
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